Potter and Pettigrew
by OctoberSunlight
Summary: James Sirius Potter arrives at Hogwarts and meets Libby Pettigrew, a shy girl who's past hides dark secrets. rubbish summary i know but please read
1. Chapter 1

**Potter and Pettigrew **

**Chapter 1**

_Just a few more, _James Sirius Potter thought with nervous excitement as he looked around the Great Hall_, Hogwarts is so much better than Dad described. Albus is going to be so jealous when I tell him, especially when I get in Gryffindor._

He looked at the other excited 11 year olds that surrounded him, there was a girl stood beside him, her dirty blonde hair was cropped short and she was looking down at her worn shoes.

"You ok?" he whispered, not taking his eyes off the three-legged stool.

"Fine," she whispered, not raising her head.

"What house you hoping for?" he asked turning his head slightly to but still not looking directly at her.

"Gryffindor."

"Me too. Like my parents," He said proudly.

"My Grandad was in Gryffindor but he did some pretty bad stuff. My dad was Hufflepuff I don't know my mum. She died just after I was born. Dad doesn't talk about her."

"Unlucky," James said quietly "I'm James by the way, James Sirius Potter."

"Elizabeth Pettigrew, my friends call me Libby, or they would if I had any. You're Harry Potter's son aren't you?"

"Pleased to meet you."

The two shook hands, then Libby's name was called, she gave James a small sad smile then walked quickly over to the stool where the worn and patchy hat was placed on her head. There were a couple of moments of tense silence. Libby looked nervously out into the crowd, her brown eyes found James'.

The rip in the hat opened wide.

"Gryffindor!"

Libby let out a sigh of relief and joined her new house.

"Potter, James."

James sauntered confidently up to the stool, the hat had barely touched his curly mop of hair before it sorted him into Gryffindor.

"Piece of cake," He whispered into Libby's ear as he sat down next to her.

"You seemed very confident," she said.

"I knew what house I wanted to be in. I wasn't going to accept anything else."

The sorting continued, then when Fred Weasley joined the Gryffindor table the sorting hat was taken away.

"Hi James," Fred said brightly as he sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"Hey Fred, Good summer?" he asked conversationally.

"Bit boring actually, Dad was away a lot."

"Same, mum took us out though. This is Libby," James said pointing at her, Libby looked up, shocked to be brought into the conversation.

"Hi, I'm Fred Weasley." He was ginger with freckles dotted across his nose

"Libby Pettigrew," she mumbled nervously.

Just then food appeared on the table. Fred and James piled up their plates and began talking excitedly about the year to come.

"I'm going to write to my dad, he'll be so pleased I got in Gryffindor," Fred said as he bit of a huge lump of chicken.

"Mine too," James said "Though I don't think mum was particularly bothered."

"What about your parents Libby?" Fred asked, turning to her and splattering her with bits of chicken "Sorry about that," he apologised picking up a napkin and wiping her face with it.

"My Mum's dead and I doubt my dad would be bothered," she replied quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't-"

"It's ok," She interrupted "I don't like to think about it."

"Do you live with your dad then?" Fred asked as the mains were replaced with an array of delicious looking deserts.

"Leave the poor girl alone Fred, you're making her uncomfortable," James said, saving Libby from answering anymore of Fred's questions.

The three new Gryffindors were joined on their way up to the tower by a dumpy looking boy named Nigel Longbottom, son of the herbology professor, a tall thin girl called Hannah Carrington, a sour looking boy with a big nose called Robert Cardwell and a pretty girl with shiny black hair named Alicia Jamison.

"Wrackspurt," The prefect said confidently to a portrait of a large woman in a frilly pink dress.

"Welcome to Gryffindor," she said to the newcomers as she swung open obligingly to let them pass through.

"This is the Gryffindor common room. Boys dorms to the east and Girls to the west," the prefect informed them before walking away to join his friends, the Gryffindor common room was decorated in warm shades of red and sparkling gold, a fire crackled merrily in the hearth and the air was alive with chatter as old friends caught up with each other. James looked around with the air of a lord surveying his new domain, whereas Libby's mouth was almost hanging open in shock.

The boys and girls went off to their respective dorms leaving James and Libby behind.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Sorry about Fred at dinner."

"It's ok. Goodnight James."

"Night Libby.

0o0o0o0

_Dad,_

_Hogwarts is amazing! Just like you said. I got in Gryffindor, Fred did too. I'm loving it here, it's fantastic, but tell mum not to worry because I know she will be. I'm settling in fine. I've made new friends already, Nigel Longbottom and a girl called Libby Pettigrew, she's a bit quiet but looks like she could have a good laugh._

_Love James_

_p.s I'm not going to write everyday because I can't be bothered_

_p.p.s love to Albus and Lily._

James attached the letter to the leg of his owl Mercury then opened the window and watched him soar into the night. The room was dark, all the other boys were asleep. James took his dad's old invisibility cloak from his trunk and threw it over himself. _A new generation of Potter has come to make mischief at Hogwarts. _he thought gleefully as he remembered the stories his dad had told him about the things he, and his dad before him, had got up to at Hogwarts.

The stairs were quiet and in the common room the fire had burnt down to glowing embers, there was a noise from one of the armchairs and James noticed someone sitting there. He took off the cloak. Libby Pettigrew squeaked with shock as James materialized in front of her.

"How…What?"

"Invisibility cloak. What are you doing down here?"

"Can't sleep," she admitted "I'm scared that if I fall asleep I'll wake up in the morning back at home and this will have just been a dream."

"Well it's not. We're actually here. It's not just a dream."

"It all seems so surreal. I've been dreaming about coming here for years."

"Me too, but we're here now and you need to sleep."

"So do you, never mind wandering around in your invisibility cloak," She stood up "See you at breakfast."

James watched her disappear up the stairs to the girls dorms, then, ignoring her advice he crept out the portrait hole.

"Morning," James said as he sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Libby.

"Hi," she said quietly, not looking up from her toast.

"Sleep well?"

"Eventually. You?""Like a log," James lied, grabbing the pumpkin juice and pouring himself a glass "Have you got your timetable?"

"Yes," she mumbled, taking it out her bag for James to see, as she did so, he noticed a stack of parchment with writing scrawled on it, he looked curiously up at her but her face was turned away.

"We're in the same lessons," James said.

"Good, at least I'll know someone then," Libby sounded relieved. Suddenly there was a loud whooshing noise as the post owls swooped in through the roof. James spotted Mercury and was pleased that his dad had replied straight away, he eagerly untied the letter, leaving Mercury to soar off to the owlery in search of some well-earned rest.

_James,_

_Congratulations on making Gryffindor, your mother and I are so proud, and your brother and sister are extremely jealous, try not to cause too much trouble though. Your new friend Libby Pettigrew, any relation to Peter Pettigrew? Remember to write sometimes, even if not every day. You know what your mother is like for worrying._

_Enjoy._

_All my love,_

_Dad_

"Hey Libby," James began looking up, but Libby was gone, he thought he saw the frayed edge of her robes disappearing round the corner.

"Morning," Fred said brightly, sitting down next to James and promptly spilling pumpkin juice all over him.

**A/n: Hope you like it. Reviews much appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_That was the first day I met her, she sat next to me in some classes but we weren't really friends, I didn't really know anything about her but she made me curious, I wanted to know why she was never happy. I wanted to make her laugh; I tried my hardest to make her laugh. It was our second year when we became best friends._

_-James_

James lounged by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, his younger brother Albus sat next to him, his nose buried deep in 'The Standard Book of Spells' it was a chilly November evening and Gryffindor common room was alive with the buzz off inane chatter and James had drifted into a stupor. Suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder, he turned, Hannah Carrington was stood behind him, she looked worried.  
>"I need you to come with me," she said urgently.<br>"What's wrong Hannah?" he asked, standing up, Albus looked curiously up at him over the top of his book.  
>"It's Libby."<p>

James followed Hannah out of the common room where her pace quickened, she stopped outside a door pretending to be a wall and gestured James to go inside. The door closed behind him. Libby was sat on a table in the corner with her back to him.  
>"Libby," he said quietly "Is everything ok? Hannah said-"<br>"She hasn't told anyone else has she?" Libby asked quickly.  
>"No, I don't think so. What's happened?"<p>

Libby turned round, she had a split lip and her nose was bleeding. James' jaw dropped.  
>"Don't look so shocked. If you think this is bad you should see the other person."<br>"Libby! What the… This is…I…"James was too shocked to speak.  
>"Please don't judge me, if you knew why you would understand," Libby said quietly<br>"Tell me, I won't tell anyone else. I could help."  
>"You would never talk to me again if you knew."<br>"What could you have done that's so bad?"  
>"It's not something I've done."<br>"Then why would I be angry?"  
>"Because it was my grandfather that betrayed yours to Voldemort! He tried to kill your dad. My dad tried to stay out of it but grandad dragged him in as well. My whole family were death eaters!" silence followed Libby's outburst, broken only by the sound of blood dripping from her nose onto the stone floor.<br>"Come on," James said quietly "Let's get you cleaned up."

Harry Potter had told his son all about Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and it was to there that James led Libby. She could get cleaned up without them being discovered and avoiding awkward questions from nosy teachers.  
>"Who did you beat up by the way? If you don't mind me asking." James said casually as he mopped the blood from Libby's face.<br>"That Slytherin girl… Parkinson."  
>"What did she say?" James asked sympathetically.<br>"It doesn't matter James. I don't want to talk about it."

"Hold on, I'll fix your nose. There was this spell dad taught me…_Episkey._"  
>There was a crack like a gunshot as the bone in Libby's nose righted its self.<br>"Thank you," she said, her eyes watering slightly.

James and Libby took the long way back to the Gryffindor common room. It was dark outside and the moonlight reflected in ripples off the black lake. Libby found herself laughing with James about the ridiculous situation she had landed herself in.  
>"Do you think Parkinson will grass on you?" James asked her seriously as they reached the portrait of the fat lady<br>"She might. I don't care right now. I feel very rebellious." Libby admitted smirking.  
>James gave the password and followed Libby into the crowded common room.<br>"If you still feel rebellious later, me and Fred are going to visit Hagrid."  
>"Hagrid? The gamekeeper? James how will you get out the castle without being seen?"<br>"You'll find out if you come with us."

So it was that Libby found herself sandwiched between Fred and James as they snuck out the castle under James' invisibility cloak. The air was cold and Libby found herself moving unconsciously towards Fred's warmth. He put his arm round her shoulders to try and warm her up. She smiled gratefully though he probably couldn't see it.  
>"I never congratulated you on beating up Parkinson did I?" he whispered in her ear.<br>"It was my pleasure."

James knocked on the door of Hagrid's hut. There was a lot of scraping then a gruff voice said,  
>"Who's there?" the door was opened and the huge bearded Hagrid stood there, looking around at the seemingly empty lawn in front of him.<br>"Hagrid it's us," James whispered loudly  
>"Oh under the cloak are yer, you better come on in then, I just put the kettle on."<p>

Libby looked around Hagrid's cabin, despite all the pots and cages hanging from the ceiling it looked warm and cosy. She sat down on one of the huge chairs in between Fred and James. Hagrid placed a bucket-sized mug of tea in front of her.  
>"I haven't seen you round here before," he said, his beetle-black eyes twinkling.<br>"I'm Libby, Libby Pettigrew," she said quietly, holding out her hand for him to shake.  
>"I knew a Pettigrew once, scrawny boy, always hanging around with yer grandad James. He were a bad 'un though, went ter Voldemort. Dint know he had any kids."<br>"Love potion," Libby whispered so quietly that only Fred heard her, he roared with laughter and slopped tea down his shirt. James raised an eyebrow as Fred swore and tried to mop up the tea.  
>"We better go Hagrid, Fred will need to clean himself up," James said, draining his tea.<br>"Right you are. You best be getting back anyway or I 'll be in trouble."

The light from Hagrid's cabin spilled onto the lawn.  
>"Thanks for the tea," Libby said to Hagrid.<br>"That's fine. You come back anytime."

0o0o0

"I'm named after my grandad and my dad's godfather. James Sirius," James was saying at breakfast.  
>"My dad's twin brother," Fred replied with his mouth full of scrambled egg "What about you Libby?"<br>"Don't know, my middle name is Rose but I don't think that means anything, but I don't really know my family anyway."  
>"Elizabeth Rose Pettigrew," Fred repeated with a dreamy look on his face "That's a beautiful name."<br>"Whoa, Fred, Hello," James interrupted, clicking his fingers in front of his friends face "You do know you said that out loud right?"  
>Fred blushed a beetroot red that clashed with his ginger hair; Libby smirked slightly and picked up her bag,<br>"See you in Herbology guys."


End file.
